Anyone who thinks ESPN isn't driving this confernece realignment is not paying attention.

[UConnSportsGuy]

One question.....if the Big East accepts the ESPN contract offer a few months ago does any of this happen? The answer is absolutely no!

Once the Big East turned down the ESPN offer, they new that we were eventually going to sign a huge contract with NBC/Comcast and ESPN would lose their monopoly on college sports. So they used their existing relationships/contracts to kill the Big East before that happens. They knew that ALL of the Big East schools would not have the strength to stay together for all of that time if they created enough uncertainty/risk for them....they knew one would break (WVU with the googly eyes with SEC), so then everyone else (Syracuse and Pitt) had to protect their interests.

This is absoulutely driven by ESPN...no doubt. Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done about it.

 

[Hoophound]

Start the calls to ESPN. Make them hear the people of their home state. Espn needs to know that the state of CT will blame them if UCONN has no seat at the table. Seriously, call them, email them and tell your state reps to contact ESPN and tell them to help make sure we are in a major conference.

 

[gars44]

Start the calls to ESPN. Make them hear the people of their home state. Espn needs to know that the state of CT will blame them if UCONN has no seat at the table. Seriously, call them, email them and tell your state reps to contact ESPN and tell them to help make sure we are in a major conference.

That would be a waste of time.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

I have been saying for months ESPN gonna destroy the BE before we get the next TV deal. They probably got the whiff that NBC/COMCAST gonna get the new BE contract. ESPN is using all of its partners (ACC and SEC) to destroy the BE. All these realignment has ESPN's hands all over it.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

That is the irony...that it could end up totally screwing the state school in which ESPN started and has 90% of their business.

 

[gars44]

That is the irony...that it could end up totally screwing the state school in which ESPN started and has 90% of their business.

Point being?

 

[Hoophound]

If you were a Southerner, you wouldn't feel that way. I am in a line of work that often involves political pull for land development. Politicians can get results faster than anyone else and in the south, they use their power. That's why the Big East keeps getting trampled on. There is too much apathy regarding college sports in the Northeast. This is a dirty business. Squeaky wheels get the grease.

 

[gars44]

ESPN is a national corporation. They have people there from all over the country. In business to make money. They could just as easily pull roots and move to Atlanta. Let's hope they don't.

 

[Jarhead_1775]

ESPN is a national corporation. They have people there from all over the country. In business to make money. They could just as easily pull roots and move to Atlanta. Let's hope they don't.

I don't think so. Can you imagine the cost associated with packing up that place and just moving? Not to mention the staff who all live here?

 

[noeynox]

I have posted the same as the original post in other threads. It is obvious. Can't blame ESPN, they are taking the first shot across the bow against their competitors. Of course, we have a conference commish who plays his cards in the media making his intentions known (not that I think it matters). I blame the school presidents of the Big East. There is no solidarity like there is in other conferences. No commitment to one another to make "our product" better and more valuable. Instead you get RU fawning over a Big Ten invite two off seasons ago, then you have WVU to the SEC stuff. If others are expressing they want out, of course others are going to leave if given the chance. Instead of strutting their stuff for other conferences, the schools should have signed a blood pact with each other and not allow themselves to be played like fiddles. Please o Please may UConn have a place at the big boy table when the dust settles. The Big East schools have no one to blame but their selves in this.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

Point being?

I am saying that it is quite ironic that a company started by a UConn grad with the purpose of showing UConn sporting events (wasn't UConn swimming one of the first events on ESPN?), a company with the majority of its employees being UConn grads and/or CT residents, and a company with the majority of its business interests in Connecticut...is orchestrating things that may end up having UConn on the outside of the power in college athletics.

Not saying anything other than it is quite ironic, no?

 

[Hoophound]

I don't think so. Can you imagine the cost associated with packing up that place and just moving? Not to mention the staff who all live here?

Won't happen. Espn has invested so much in CT that it would be like moving a university elsewhere.

 

[gars44]

I have posted the same as the original post in other threads. It is obvious. Can't blame ESPN, they are taking the first shot across the bow against their competitors. Of course, we have a conference commish who plays his cards in the media making his intentions known (not that I think it matters). I blame the school presidents of the Big East. There is no solidarity like there is in other conferences. No commitment to one another to make "our product" better and more valuable. Instead you get RU fawning over a Big Ten invite two off seasons ago, then you have WVU to the SEC stuff. If others are expressing they want out, of course others are going to leave if given the chance. Instead of strutting their stuff for other conferences, the schools should have signed a blood pact with each other and not allow themselves to be played like fiddles. Please o Please may UConn have a place at the big boy table when the dust settles. The Big East schools have no one to blame but their selves in this.

But you can't, because there cannot be a unified leadership in a hybrid conference. So, everyone is on their own page and that detracts from unity. Without a split there would never be a circling of the wagons.

 

[rich1122]

Start the calls to ESPN. Make them hear the people of their home state. Espn needs to know that the state of CT will blame them if UCONN has no seat at the table. Seriously, call them, email them and tell your state reps to contact ESPN and tell them to help make sure we are in a major conference.

Then they will just leave the state like every other business. They don't need us. I am sure some other business friendly state would make a better offer to move. Lower taxes, lower cost of living, lower everything. They don't care if they are blamed.

 

[Hoophound]

Then they will just leave the state like every other business. They don't need us. I am sure some other business friendly state would make a better offer to move. Lower taxes, lower cost of living, lower everything. They don't care if they are blamed.

Man, it never ceases to amaze me how Northerners are so negative and self defeating. In the South, everything is done looking forward and with an eye toward the future. Up there, everybody prefers to sit on their hands and wax poetic about how much, smarter, better educated and thinner they are than Southerners. Meanwhile, the South is taking your people, your money and your jobs from right under your nose. Now they are screwing your state U. All I am saying is that if you had the right attitude and your politicians believed that UCONN matters to their constituents, you'd be amazed what they could do.

 

[CL82]

Start the calls to ESPN. Make them hear the people of their home state. Espn needs to know that the state of CT will blame them if UCONN has no seat at the table. Seriously, call them, email them and tell your state reps to contact ESPN and tell them to help make sure we are in a major conference.

It would be a waste of time...and just a little pitiful.

 

[junglehusky]

So supposedly the BE has had informal conversations with other networks, though we can't officially negotiate until the deal is expired... so what would the penalty be if the league openly started negotiations with Comcast/fox in breach of the ESPN contract? If Marinate is going to be demoted to the commish of a catholic bball league, why not go for it?

Just wondering.

 

[Hoophound]

It would be a waste of time...and just a little pitiful.

God this attitude brings back memories....I walked away from the Yankee"do nothing" attitude years ago and my life has been better ever since. My passion for this topic relates to my direct knowledge of getting a local U to upgrade to D1 and grow. It happened only because people in the community got state and local politics involved. You are hoping Herbst gets something done and she may. I don't think Herbst and a couple Senators having lunch at ESPN would hurt the cause. We agree to disagree.

 

[CL82]

God this attitude brings back memories....I walked away from the Yankee"do nothing" attitude years ago and my life has been better ever since. My passion for this topic relates to my direct knowledge of getting a local U to upgrade to D1 and grow. It happened only because people in the community got state and local politics involved. You are hoping Herbst gets something done and she may. I don't think Herbst and a couple Senators having lunch at ESPN would hurt the cause. We agree to disagree.

To apply pressure successfully you have to have to know where to apply it. Why not have a meeting at channel 3 the local CBS affiliate demanding that that the UConn have a seat at the big boy table? I mean they are located in Connecticut, right? Going to ESPN and asking or demanding anything (other than to be let out of the silent period) is silly. They, at least publically, don't have a say in these decisions.

If you want a proactive solution package a 12 team all sports conference and go to NBC and ask for a package. NBC's sport network dreams are as much on life support as our hopes of participating in a BCS conference. That, at least, has a possibility of success.

Your attitude reminds me of the guy who sold all of his possessions in anticipation of the rapture. His passion and conviction was impressive, his judgment less so.

 

[RS9999X]

What's happening is the same thing that happened in every other sport and happened in college football before.

There are only 30 or so regional markets that media is interested in and the fewer entanglements with smaller markets the better.

The drive to 16-team conferences is really a drive to 60 teams and splitting the FBS in half.

Would EPSN rather have 3 major contracts or 5 major conferene contracts? . Which saves them 25% net?

This is what's being sold. 3 mega-contracts are less expensive than 5. Comcast/NBC can have the remainders and Fox has the BiG.

9-game schedules and as many incestuous premium advertising dollar OOC media scheduled games among the 4 big conferences and the 5 National Indys (ND, BYU and the Service Academies) that the schools will swallow.

Schedule UConn and Rutgers here and there like you would schedule a pity duck. And make them look pitiful on National TV to justify the move.

 

[uconndogs]

I'm telling you, this thing is going to raise all hell.

As we speak I can guarantee you that university presidents from Conn., NJ, Missouri, West Virginia, etc. are calling their congressional representatives. Teams of anti-trust lawyers are being assembles and it would not surpise me if private investigators are involved.

The only benefit that Pitt and Syracuse bring to the ACC is the potential demise of the Big East. This time people will be fighting for their survival in big-time college athletics and desperate people do desperate things.

Just for the record, I'm not necessarily in favor of congressional involvement or litigation, I'm just fairly certain it will be coming in a big way.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

The only benefit that Pitt and Syracuse bring to the ACC is the potential demise of the Big East.

That's the ridiculous part. Everyone says that football programs drive the bus. But Pitt and Syracuse are meaningless conference filler. Guess how many BCS bowl games Syracuse and Pitt have played in as the Big East Champion since the original Big East raid? That's right...a total of 0!!!!

This is clearly just a way to kill a competitor.

 

[Hoophound]

You have one of the most meaningful pieces of the big picture in ESPN residing in your backyard. You lobby them and work them. You might not get what you want, but you leave no stone unturned. It is a given that getting ESPN on your side in getting into the ACC is meaningful. Espn will be renegotiating the ACC contract and if ESPN say's "we are a Connecticut company and we want Connecticut in the conference" it will go a long way. I would argue that "packaging 12 teams" (what 12 teams?) and pitching it to NBC is a far more far flung waste of time than having some powerful people get in ESPN's ear. Besides, why would we "package 12 teams" when we want to get into a strong existing conference?

 

[whaler11]

That's the ridiculous part. Everyone says that football programs drive the bus. But Pitt and Syracuse are meaningless conference filler. Guess how many BCS bowl games Syracuse and Pitt have played in as the Big East Champion since the original Big East raid? That's right...a total of 0!!!!

This is clearly just a way to kill a competitor.

Pitt got buried by Utah in the BCS in 2004.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

Pitt got buried by Utah in the BCS in 2004.

BC was still in the league that year...so that was before the reformed Big East.